Location! Location! Location!: Walk Score & researching the convenience of Toronto neighbourhoods

Searching for a new home? Trying to figure out what neighbourhood is ideal for you and your family?  Sick of having to get in your car to go and buy your morning cup of coffee? Want to be able to bike to work? Or just simply trying to cut back the monthly gas bill for your car?  If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you should check out Walk Score®, the website that generates a walk-ability score for neighbourhoods all over.  All you have to do is put in the address you are wondering about and then the website takes care of the rest!

So, you may ask, what makes a neighbourhood walk-able?  According to the website a walk-able neighbourhood has the following characteristics:

  • A center: Walk-able neighborhoods have a center, whether it’s a main street or a public space.
  • People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently.
  • Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
  • Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play.
  • Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the street, parking lots are relegated to the back.
  • Schools and workplaces: Close enough that most residents can walk from their homes.
  • Complete streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit.

Based on these considerations, the website will generate a score for the address you enter that falls between 0 and 100, broken down into these following groups:

  • 0-24: Car Dependent (almost all errands require a car)
  • 25-49: Car Dependent (a few amenities within walking distance)
  • 50-69: Somewhat Walkable (some amenities within walking distance)
  • 70-89: Very Walkable (most errands can be accomplished on foot)
  • 90-100: Walker’s Paradise (daily errands do not require a car)

This home’s Walk Score:®

73 out of 100 — Very Walkable

View on WalkScore.com

Walk Score House Icon Walk Score

When you get the score the website also gives you the proximity (along with specific names and exact distance)  to;

  • restaurants
  • coffee shops
  • groceries
  • shopping
  • schools
  • parks
  • pubs
  • entertainment
  • banking

The site also has a place where you can enter your home (or potential new home) address and your work address, that generates commute times (along with the amount of hills between work and home!) by different modes of transportation including;

  • foot
  • car
  • bike
  • transit (which also includes which route to take)

So if you are in the market for a new home and you find yourself getting confused or overwhelmed by the process, check the site out.  It really is a great tool!

 

 

 

 

 

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